(I realise I have spelled names wrong, but it is 1.30am. Feel free to correct me via internal messaging if you want it changed later.)

Aventaris stared sightlessly out the window. He was under house arrest, while Carew, Lorrelyn and Figaro were in cells, not to mention magic-inhibiting chains. The recollection that he had told them all to flee the square, that they wouldn’t be in this mess had they listened, did little to soothe his mind. At least Ivatis, Keaira and Kyler had been gone by the time the guards had come, though he had prayed the square would be empty. That Ivatis and Keaira had escaped this mess was the most important thing in his mind, and he had no intention of describing them or otherwise aiding their capture. He had told the lawmen only that there had been three or four others, which anyone who’d been there could have verified easily enough.

They should have fled. He’d told them to run. He’d been sure he could have talked himself out of the situation if he’d been careful and clever, for he had neither provoked the assault nor caused anyone harm. At worst he had sought to weaken their opponents by Peacebonding their weapons (which hadn’t taken hold) and dispelling a field they’d raised to protect themselves (which had). He might have been able to gloss over that by saying it was initially self-defense, for the Caementi leader had vocally assumed Aventaris was in league with Figaro when the latter had begun his ambush. He might have been able to turn things even more in his favor considering he’d prevented additional loss of life by healing the peasants who’d been trampled near to death in the general rush to flee.

Damn Figaro. The man was too confident that he could wave his papers and get out of situations. Evidently Lorrelyn was as certain in her own credentials. Illegal mages both of them… had she not been, he might have been able to get her out on a claim she’d only sought to defend herself after the unexpected ambush. But her papers were bound to be examined.

As for Figaro, he had flat out claimed credit for the Caementi leader's death when confronted by the guards, not knowing she'd been an ambassador. That man he could do nothing for. He’d acted alone, violently, foolishly, and even if the goal had been to save some people being burned at the stake, two bystanders had been killed during the course of the ensuing fight and many more injured as the crowds had stampeded in panic. The man was a loose cannon and a danger to the party. Aventaris was starting to wish he’d listened to Figaro instead of his own conscience, and left the man in the square to meet his fate.

Then there was Carew. Carew would stick by Figaro. Aventaris knew she would, and knew this would make trying to get her out useless, for if she claimed association with Figaro and they found out he was an illegal spellcaster, that was it for both of them.

He rubbed at his temples, bowing his head. His mind throbbed painfully with the thoughts of the city, dark plots, spiteful plans, intentions to hurt and harm and break. Through it he had felt Ivatis' suicidal impulses after he'd come down from his berserking rage and realised he'd just ripped someone's heart out with his bare hands. Through it, he also knew that Lorrelyn believed he’d betrayed the others by numbering those who had fled the square. She thought him an enemy and planned to move against him if they got out of this. Regrettable, but understandable. He didn’t hold it against her. He just wished she’d run with the others.

It was hard to think clearly.

How will I get out of this? I don’t think I can. Alone I could have, or at the least taken the fall so the others could continue. But the presence of ‘accomplices’, two of which will have to lie to protect their identities, will make it impossible.

I didn’t know what Figaro had been planning. I don’t think he’d even had a plan. How can my head hurt so much with the plans of an entire city, yet fail to find the one that got us into this? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I was meant to able to anticipate things like this so they could be avoided.

If he was not released, he would not be able to rejoin Keaira and Ivatis. Now here, he could not break out. It would only put them in greater danger to add an escaped criminal to their party.

They’re out. That’s what matters. He told me to help them. If I can’t rejoin them then they will leave tomorrow as planned, and be safe.

And if I can escape?

He stared out the window again.

Is it more important to save the world or submit to the law?

If our idea of saving the world is causing riots and panic, tearing out hearts…

His head pounded.

Perhaps the world is not even worth saving.

God help me…I can’t start thinking like that. You wanted me to help save it. How do I help them and keep to the law? Should I get out if I get the chance? Should I get the others out? What do I do?!

The choice had been taken from him. Somehow Carew, Figaro and Lorrelyn had escaped their cells. On their way to escape they had found Aventaris’ chamber watched over by a chain demon guardian. It had attacked the three on sight, and Aventaris… God help him… he had assisted his erstwhile companions in defeating the demon, and destroyed it himself before it could reform.

No one had told him, but he’d known both Figaro and Carew had been tortured while in custody, and tortured for pleasure. He had been aware of every delicate act of pain the torturer had planned and inflicted, the artistic enjoyment taken as he’d worked on Carew, plying his tools again and again until her anger had flashed to black unconsciousness and he’d moved on to begin afresh on Figaro.

The intimate knowledge had horrified him, but he hadn’t acted. He could not have helped. He would only have succeeded in dooming himself to similar treatment. But when the three prisoners had appeared in his room, knowing what two of them had already suffered and that all three would be subjected to worse if they were caught a second time had tipped the scales in his mind between which course to take was lawful, and which was just.

He had expected it to end with the chain demon’s demise, hoping Carew, Figaro and Lorrelyn would leave him when he made it plain to them he did not wish to escape. He had just slain a servant of the law while it performed its duty. If he hadn’t truly been guilty of a crime until that point, he was now.

His wishes to remain in custody fell on deaf ears. Lorrelyn left for her own reasons, but Figaro pinned Aventaris down, clamping a hand over his mouth, and Carew had supplied the manacles. The two bounty hunters had all but dragged him from the temple.

Now he was free, atop a hippogriff he’d summoned and flying at speed towards the only place he might hope to find Keaira, Ivatis and Kyler. He should have returned to the Temple of Duress. He had not. He alone knew the reason why.

Figaro was a diminishing shape behind him, not swift enough to keep pace. Aventaris did not intend to slow down. He would not willingly travel with that man again. This was all his fault. He was lucky Aventaris didn’t see fit to blast him out of the sky.

I still could. He’s a criminal. It counts as helping to save the world, killing someone like him. He’ll only get more people hurt and burned to death. Torch him. Save the world a bit at a time. Start with him. Then stop the others, the ones who’re filling my mind. Shut them up. But him first. It’s his fault. He hides his plans from me. Kill him. Killhimkillhimkillhim.

Aventaris gripped the hippogriff more firmly, tried to focus on the chill of the wind against the sweat beading his brow, and prayed for more speed.